Guillaume & the Coutu Dumonts - Ubiquitous Gaze

Guillaume & the Coutu Dumonts - Ubiquitous Gaze
Guillaume Coutu Dumont's ethnic samples are his trademark, but his ability to charm with them that has set him apart from the main body of deep house over the last few years. The tracks on Ubiquitous Gaze may not do this as much as the best of his back catalogue (the monologue on the A is a case in point), but their forthrightness and less obvious touches ensure that they're far from drab. The juxtaposition between the powerful rolling of the drums and the blissed-out pads on the title track is nicely balanced, but there's just a bit more weight on the pads than you might usually hear, giving an effect of comfortable pressure. The bongo solo towards the end, meanwhile, isn't worthy of that cringe you probably just had reading about it.

The "Stringapella" is what you'd expect, but worthy of mention. Its rhythmic edges and harmonic shifts suggest possibilities for being layered over other material and key-controlled. "You're the One" is headier, but it finds a groove with a Hammond organ, washed out vocals and an inventive, springy bass motif, and runs with it. Although they may not be as out there as we've heard from Guillaume before, it's hard not to see these tracks holding clout.

Comments loading

0/ #164951

More on Circus Company

Since 1999, Circus Company has served as a platform for brilliant, weird, beautiful, funky, funny, mindbending material from across the dance-music spectrum: most of it house and techno, but influence
View the full label profile

More on Guillaume & The Coutu Dumonts

Forever with his thumb cocked looking for the next creative thrill ride as the sun goes down, Guillaume Coutu-Dumont’s music lends itself to the indigo hue of dusk, imbued with the sultry allure of jazz, the unquestioned groove of house, and the propulsion of techno.
View the full artist profile